NYC May Give Personal Email Addresses to Trees

"Hey, Brooklyn Botanical Garden cherry tree. Just dropping you a line to see what's new. Want to grab dinner this week? JK. I know you're a tree. LOL." (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

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Ever wanted to drop a line to a charming red maple but thought it would be a bit macabre to send it a letter written on the disfigured remains of one of its fallen relatives? Well good news! New York City politician Mark Levine has introduced a bill to assign personal email addresses to 200 of the city's trees, Gothamist reports. While the email addresses could be used to report problems and concerns about the individual trees, Levine says it's about more than that. Apparently he wants to use the email addresses as "a mechanism for deepening public engagement with the trees." "NYC is a tough place to be a tree," Levine tells Gothamist.

According to Gothamist, there are approximately 5.2 million trees in New York City. Levine, who says choosing his favorite tree would be as hard as choosing a favorite child, would give email addresses to 200 that are notably old, tall, historical, or just plain odd. If his bill is passed, signs bearing each tree's email address would be placed on or near them and city parks employees would be tasked with checking the trees' emails, or "treemails," if you will. Melbourne definitely would, as Gothamist reports the Australian city has already done something similar for its trees. (Read more trees stories.)

Trees BY JOYCE KILMER I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. There ya go ALL!!

MarieT

Nov 12, 2015 3:22 AM CST

Okey dokey...my life is now complete. My one truest wish has been granted. Uh, yeah. . .